BONUS: Representation Matters

We are thrilled to welcome you all into the new year by bringing you a healthy dose of exclusive, inspiring content. This bonus episode will hold you over until we premiere Season 3 of Blazing Trails. On this episode, we are highlighting content from Salesforce's first-ever racial equality summit, Representation Matters. Last November, we gathered some of the brightest minds from the African-American and Latinx communities for a day of thoughtful dialogue. At this groundbreaking event, we heard from luminary keynote speakers and panelists that included c-level executives, venture capitalists, and civil rights activists. Each shared timely and thought-provoking points on how to elevate the conversation around racial equality in tech, in the workplace, and in our communities. Hear from the inspiring Trailblazers: Ana Recio, EVP, Global Recruiting at Salesforce, Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts, Nellie Borrero, Managing Director and Senior Global Inclusion and Diversity Lead at Accenture, Ebony Frelix, EVP and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Salesforce.org, civil rights activist, author, and founder of Pod Save the People, DeRay Mckesson, Cristina Jones, SVP of Trailblazer Marketing at Salesforce, Arlan Hamilton, Founder and Managing Director of Backstage Capital, Erik Moore, Founder and Managing Director of Base Ventures, and Miriam Rivera, the Co-founder and Managing Director of Ulu Ventures.

Episodit

We are thrilled to welcome you all into the new year by bringing you a healthy dose of exclusive, inspiring content. This bonus episode will hold you over until we premiere Season 3 of Blazing Trails. On this episode, we are highlighting content from Salesforce's first-ever racial equality summit, Representation Matters. Last November, we gathered some of the brightest minds from the African-American and Latinx communities for a day of thoughtful dialogue. At this groundbreaking event, we heard from luminary keynote speakers and panelists that included c-level executives, venture capitalists, and civil rights activists. Each shared timely and thought-provoking points on how to elevate the conversation around racial equality in tech, in the workplace, and in our communities. Hear from the inspiring Trailblazers: Ana Recio, EVP, Global Recruiting at Salesforce, Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts, Nellie Borrero, Managing Director and Senior Global Inclusion and Diversity Lead at Accenture, Ebony Frelix, EVP and Chief Philanthropy Officer at Salesforce.org, civil rights activist, author, and founder of Pod Save the People, DeRay Mckesson, Cristina Jones, SVP of Trailblazer Marketing at Salesforce, Arlan Hamilton, Founder and Managing Director of Backstage Capital, Erik Moore, Founder and Managing Director of Base Ventures, and Miriam Rivera, the Co-founder and Managing Director of Ulu Ventures.

Respect, decency, compassion, and taking care of yourself. All of these factors are critical in how we interact in our organizations and workplaces. There are those who give, and those who take, and those who fall somewhere in-between–Where do YOU stand? How can we understand how compassion works from an organization? How can we work to find purpose and meaning in the every day? When we look back and see the mistakes and failures that we face, how can we employ self-compassion? Adam Grant is a professor at The Wharton School of Business and a New York Times bestselling author. Last year at Dreamforce, he joined us to talk about compassion, feedback, and his background as an organizational psychologist. Hear some amazing, funny, and insightful stories of his background and insights on compassion.

One of the ways we practice our core value of Equality is by encouraging everyone in our Ohana to awaken their inner Trailblazer. Artists, activists, and advocates are prime examples of people who saw something they wanted to change and chose to take the reigns and make the world a more equal place for all. Equality is a core value of Salesforce, but if we work together, it can be a core value everywhere, in every industry, and every community around the world. The conversations we will explore on this episode help to shed on a light on how to do just that.

Last year at Dreamforce, we were lucky enough to have some of the most notable and accomplished trailblazers join us for part of our Equality Summit. These activists are using their platforms to stand up for issues that matter. Learn how these activists and advocates are creating positive change across racial, gender, LGBTQ, and disability equality. We will hear from some of today's most prominent activists, such as DeRay Mckesson, Civil Rights Activist and Founder, Pod Save the People, Haben Girma, Disability Rights Advocate, Sarah McBride, National Press Secretary, Human Rights Campaign, and Dr. Vivienne Ming, Theoretical Neuroscientist and Managing Partner of Socos Labs. This conversation is one that will leave you enlightened and inspired. Let's listen in...

At Salesforce, one of our core values of giving back also encompasses our drive towards sustainability. This means sustainable office buildings for employees, no single-use water bottles at Dreamforce, and a whole lot more. In previous years at Dreamforce, we've held a spotlight on the importance of saving our oceans. What does this mean in practice?

On a planet where everything is connected, the health of our oceans is intimately linked to social and economic well-being. New technology and creative ideas are allowing us to explore further into how we can take what we need while promoting a sustainable, prosperous future. Last year at Dreamforce, we got a candid view on one of the key global priorities for the 21st century at the Fortune CEO Series. The Future of our Oceans panel was moderated by Adam Lashinsky, Executive Editor at Fortune and featured Douglas McCauley, Professor of Marine Biology at UC Santa Cruz and Director, Benioff Ocean Initiative, Ashlan Costeau, Co-Founder, Voyancy Ventures, Nishan Degnarain, Chair of World Economic Forum's Special Initiative on the Ocean, and Wendy Schmidt, Co-Founder of Schmidt Ocean Initiative. Let's listen in.

What motivates you? In this episode, we'll explore two different stories of motivation. Michael Tubbs, mayor of Stockton, California dives into his upbringing, his path from council member to mayor, and sharing the same name with a white supremacist. We'll also hear from Army Major Lisa Jaster -- a soldier, an engineer, a wife and mother, and a trailblazer. One of only three women to graduate from the first integrated United States Army Ranger program—one of the most difficult combat training courses in the world—Lisa was the first female Army Reserve officer to become a Ranger. What motivated her? What drove her to never quit?

At Salesforce, equality is a core value of everything we do. And part of supporting that value is by providing our Ohana with the channels and opportunities to bring their whole selves to work. One way for leaders to encourage equality is through their own authenticity. Leading with authenticity is something many of us are passionate about. There are traditional views of leadership: loud, aggressive, not being too nice, but this assumes that there is only one way to lead. There is no one path to leadership. Today, authenticity among our leaders is being valued more than ever.

What does it take to have those uncomfortable conversations about diversity, equal pay, and more? We're listening in on conversations with Hollywood actors Taraji P. Henson and Natalie Portman for their take on making room for equality. We'll discover more of their respective journeys for asking for more in Hollywood and beyond.

Julie Liegl started at Salesforce 16 years ago. in those years, she's seen Salesforce grow and prosper. Excitingly, much of her experience lies is in events. Julie was recently promoted from SVP of Strategic Events to EVP of Corporate Marketing at Salesforce. Her team brings Dreamforce and other Salesforce events held around the world to life. Hear her top insights on Dreamforce, additional Salesforce events, what makes Salesforce events successful, amongst other tidbits. And continue listening to learn about her career and favorite Salesforce memories.

The future of the workplace. What does it look like? We'll explore conversations about a company's responsibility with data, client rights, apprenticeships, and the impact of a company's culture. We'll hear from Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM; Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, Salesforce; Paul Daugherty, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of Accenture; and Cindy Robbins, President and Chief People Officer, Salesforce.

Artificial Intelligence has been a topic of fascination for decades. From automated cars to machines that can intelligently and competently compete with humans in a game of chess, AI is innovating faster than ever. It's thrilling for us to look at all the new updates coming from AI. What's more fascinating and thrilling is the history of this brilliant technology. How did AI originate? What are the milestones in advancement that have led us to robots and more? We're taking a look at all this and more.

It's no secret that technology is a huge part of our everyday lives. We use apps and smartphones to track the weather, figure out when the next train is coming, and read up on the latest news from around the world and from our friends and family on social media. Recently, there seems to be something of a negative reaction to the pervasiveness of technology in our lives. Many of us are now questioning if technology is actually good for us. Does technology ultimately lend us tools for good? What are some of the ways that technology is being used for good?

True and unambiguous good in the world. Can AI do this? And if so, how? Dr. Vivienne Ming, Founder and Chair of Socos Labs, takes a look at how new technologies are accelerating changes in the medical world. Hear examples of technology that's truly changing lives, inside and outside of hospitals and in the global refugee crisis.

Ashton Kutcher, actor, turned tech investor and enthusiast, came to Dreamforce '17 to talk about Thorn, a company he co-founded in 2009. Thorn drives technology innovation to fight trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children and adults. Thorn partners across the tech industry, government, and NGOs, leveraging technology to combat predatory behavior, accelerate victim identification, and protect vulnerable children. Take a listen to how Kutcher is using tech for good.

Technology is rapidly changing our future. One of the ways is through the technology users of tomorrow. In the last segment, hear how The Girl Scouts of America are looking ahead to utilize digital tools for their young members around the country. Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts of America, touches on how the organization is empowering young girls to become technology super users, and to use tech to become the change makers of tomorrow.

We always say that Dreamforce is a year-round experience, and with the Blazing Trails podcast, it is! On season 1 of Blazing Trails, you heard from a variety of Trailblazers, including Billy Jean King, Patricia Arquette, Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikimedia, Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of "Eat, Pray, Love," and even got a behind the scenes look at how Dreamforce comes together.

On season 2 of Blazing Trails, we are creating a drumbeat to Dreamforce '18 by bringing you the best of the content that we have collected around the world.

Just like Dreamforce, Blazing Trails goes beyond product roadmaps and instead is sharing conversations around initiatives like the future of work, tech for good, and the environment. This season, hear from Ashton Kutcher, IBM CEO Ginni Rimity, Taraji P Henson, Natalie Portman, Adrien Grenier, Ellevest's CEO Sally Krawcheck, Google Cloud CEO Diane Green, Author and Psychologist Adam Grant, and many more! We hope to inspire you, invigorate you, expand your mind, and hopefully, get excited for Dreamforce '18 - September 25-28.So, be sure to subscribe to Blazing Trails on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts to keep up with exclusive content from trailblazers around the world.

If you are getting to San Francisco the weekend before Dreamforce, or staying after the conference, take advantage and check out some of our tips on food, drink, and activities around the beautiful City by the Bay.

Participate in #DF17 with the millions of Trailblazers online from all over the world on Salesforce Live! Even if you can't join us for Dreamforce in person, you'll have the opportunity to learn, connect and experience the event virtually. Register now: bit.ly/DFLive17

Sometimes, at Dreamforce, there are no words. Dreamoji is the best way to express yourself with your favorite Salesforce characters on iOS or Android phones and tablets. Dreamoji lets you choose from Astro, Appy, Einstein, Cloudy, Codey, and more! Share Your Location via iMessage and meet up with colleagues. Use Dreamoji in iMessage, emails, and more!

We are bringing together our friends from the developer and admin teams to give a final update before Dreamforce! Final tips and tricks for developers and admins doing their final prep for the big event.

Service professionals, want to make your customers happier and more successful than ever before? Get your second Dreamforce update about all the products and opportunities available at Dreamforce that can help you do it.